OK ChE 1985 Spring

1 , SCHOOL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING AND MATERIALS SCIENCE THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA

' ~ e ~ ~ ~ a r n i l ~ Gives $500,000

-61.13 m=~earch: At the Forefront of a Changing Professio I

Spring 1985

Contents

CEMS Research: At the Forefront of a Changing Profession New Computer System Purchased with Gulf Money Perrys Announce $500,000 Challenge Grant Perry's Handbook and Chemical Engineering at OU CEMS Seeks Old Perry's Handbook Copies Energy Center Gets $500,000 Mobil Pledge Note From the Director Chemical Engineers Solve Society's Problems Alumni Notes Facultv Uodate

- CEMS graduate students studying molecular thermodynamics give an IBM 3081 Mainframe a good

d workout. From left are Ph.D, candidates Later Lnndis and Su Lin and M.S. student Jennifer H m r d .

CEMS Research: At the Forefront of a Changing Profession

A whole raft of new ideas is

t - changing the way chemical engineers do chemical engineering. But

. at the same time the core of the discipline--physics, chemistry, and mathematics-has left them prepared for such new challenges as enhanced oil recovery, large scale digital simulation, biotechnology, and the latest emphasis on materials science.

As a result, this is one of the most exciting times to be involved in chemical engineering research. Today's researcher has the opportunity to invent and develop the processes and design procedures that the next generation of chemical

. - engineers will use. We are excited

bx that part of this work is being done 7 m - - by OU CEMS. Graduate work being < ' 2

-.G&Y- ---

done here today will become a standard part of the undergraduate cur- riculum in the future. This issue of OKCHE gives an overview of the kinds of research being done along with some of its potential significance.

We have three audiences in mind for this overview. We want our alumni to be proud of their school's ongoing involvement in the vitality of their profession and in their country's economy through the development and implementation of new technologies. We also want our financial supporters to know that the programs they are supporting are directly related to the success of projects of significance to them, their company, and their family. And we want potential graduate

students to be able to see the exciting and significant research they will have the opportunity to take part in if they choose to pursue a graduate degree at OU CEMS. Here are some samples of what we are doing.

Thermodynamics Research

CEMS has been promient in thermodynamics research for a number of years now, as demonstrated by our reception last year (along with OU's petroleum engineering school) of a $500,000 grant from Mobil Oil Company for thermodynamics. Contributions of OU researchers have already had a lasting impact on chemical engineering, such as C.

M. "Cheddy" Slipcevich's earthy approach to thermodynamics, Ken Starling's reference work, Fluid

I Thermodynamic Properties of Light Hy- drocarbon Systems, and his development of a new equation of state capable of predicting mixture properties from pure component data near the limits of the accuracy of the original data.

More contributions are already about to make their debut, such as Lloyd Lee's new graduate text in statistical thermodynamics and J. F. Scamehorn's new method for obtaining activity coefficients of surfactant molecules in mixed surfactant micelles.

Current CEMS research work in thermodynamics includes classical and statistical thermodynamics, from thermophysical properties de- Themodynamics research in CEMS has a balance of theory and experimentation. From Professor Elling-

ton's lab are, left, high pressure compressibility cell and a precise dead weight gauge and compressibility termination by Monte Carlo andor automation quipment. molecular dynamics simulations to the inextricability between the Gibbs Jeff Harwell is doing National Sci- tially great importance in enhanced equation and the entropy balance ence Foundation (NSF) supported oil recovery, which includes both equation. It includes work ranging work to obtain thermodynamic experimental determination of activ- from development of a new calculus parameters for the incorporation of ity coefficients and development of for integral equations to application homologous series of compounds predictive models based on fun- of the equations of classical statisti- into adsorbed surfactant aggegates. damental understanding of the elec- cal thermodynamics to develop new The goals of the work are to obtain trostatics and statistical thermo- expressions for the adsorption onto group contributions for the dynamics of the systems. reservoir minerals of surfactant thermodynamic parameters of inter- Ken Starling is directing a major molecules used in enhanced oil est and to develop and venfy a sta- effort, supported by the Gas Re- recovery. It also includes develop- tistically based model of the phe- search Institute, involving collabora- ment of new correlations for the nomenon for use in the design of tion with such European groups as natural gas industry and the gather- new unit operations. Similar ex'- Gasunie, Ruhrgas, Gaz de France, ing of new experimental data of perimental and theoretical work, and British Gas to replace the prop- greater accuracy than any ever be- also NSF supported, is being done erty correlations presently used by fore obtained on natural gas systems. on the thermodynamics of the role the natural gas industry worldwide

Among the current opportunities of electrolytes in the formation of with new correlations of greater for new graduate research in ther- adsorbed surfactant aggregates. accuracy, greater flexibility (to allow modynamics at OU CEMS are the Lloyd Lee is using molecular them to handle the more complex following: Rex Ellington has recent- dynamics simulations to study the gas mixtures which must now be ly established a laboratory with Gas role of molecular forces in adsorp- dealt with), and based on the best Research Institute funding to ac- tion of alkanes onto solid surfaces experimental data available. quire new extremely accurate data as well as to obtain predictions of on the compressibility factors of thermophysical properties from Enhanced Oil mixtures of natural gas components molecular theory. He is also in- using the latest in digital control volved in developing new correla- Recovery (EOR) technology. He is also directing a tions for predicting the thermo- Despite the current "oil glut," pe- long-term project on the extraction dynamic properties of concentrated troleum remains one of the strategic

-d,. of heavy oils and tars by use of sol- mixed electrolyte solutions, includ- international and national resources. vents at conditions above their crit- ing the complex mixtures found in Its availability plays a central role in ical points (supercritical extraction). oil reservoirs. the state of the world's economy as Other objectives of Ellington's John Scamehorn is directing an well as in that of the state of Okla- group include changing the separa- NSF supported study of the homa. It is not commonly known tion techniques used in refining to thermodynamic nonidealities of that most oil reservoirs are shut in develop more efficient processes. mixed surfactant systems of poten- with an average of about 65 percent

3

of the original oil in place still unre- covered, in fact, unrecoverable by the technologies of the last decade. The development of economically feasible methods for producing this trapped oil promises to add billions of barrels of oil to proven reserves in the United States alone. The De- partment of Energy has targeted enhanced oil recovery by surfactant flooding (the injection into a reservoir of molecules capable of reducing owwater interfacial tensions) as a key technology for long-range research in the mid-'80s, with a goal of seeing commercializatiorr by the mid-'90s.

Scamehorn and Harwell have both collaborative and individually directed projects ongoing in areas of this important emerging technology.

Among the opportunities for research in this area at OU CEMS are the study of surfactant adsorption and the chromatographic movement of surfadant mixtures, both of which presently have deleterious effects on the economics of surfactant flooding. Another major effort is in study of the potentially synergistic effects which can arise from using highly nonideal mixtures of surfactants.

Much of the research to date in surfactant EOR has been aimed at finding a "magic molecule" to release trapped oil; an alternative approach being pursued by Scamehorn is the use of inexpensive mixtures of commercial surfactants which exhibit nonideal behavior to perform better than the individual surfactants which go into the mixture.

Scamehorn and Hanvell are also working jointly with researchers at Phillips Petroleum to apply critical scaling theory to the modelling of microemulsions, the behavior of which is now recognized as central to the success of a surfactant enhanced oil recovery flood. A major portion of this project will involve the gathering of experimental data on model microemulsions for the -testing of the applicability of the theory. The long-term goal of this project is the development of a group contributions theory of the

Protessw jeff Hanoell addresses the etzhancd otl remwty group, whzch paused to celeb*ate]. Wallard GtbW birthday. Graduate student Tim Fitzgerald, seated at far rkht , is prepared to discuss hi3 recent research p r o m s . 1 critical behavior of surfactant/oW brine mixtures for incorporation in surfactant flooding simulators.

OU CEMS is active in still another enhanced oil recovery areat. It is known that the success of any EOR process, including those which do not use surfactants, is to an extent dependent upon one's ability to contact the reservoir with injected fluids; i.e., the problem of volumetric sweep effidendas.%&- well and Scarnehorn have Bled a patent application for a new process which makes use of the phase behavior properties of dilute aqueous solutions of surfactants and their chromatographic behavior to selec- I tively seaioe watered out portions of reservoirs at arbitrary distances from the well bore. This procedure is designed to divert injected fluids into oortions of the reservoir which havdhigh residual oil saturations. This work is just under way, and results of inital laboratory ex- periments are exating.

Blotechnology One of the most promising new

technologies of the Iast decade re- lates to industrial applications of ge- netic engineering, by which micro- organisms can be altered genetically

so that they produce, as a metabolic by-product, chemical compounds of usefulness to man. Because of the potential for a renewable source of chemical feedstocks, a new market for American agricultural products, and a new ability to mass produce large biological molecules, tremen- dous resources have already been spent in this field. As a result, a recent Chemical Engineering Progress article estimated that within 10 years half-of all new chemical engineers will work in the biotechnology area.

Additionally, the continuing application of high technology in medicine-in such areas as design of artificial organs and artificial blood-has opened the biomedical area to chexn&al engineers as one in

-- which their knowledge of physics, CEMS bwsepurutrons group leaders, from left, Professors Radov~ch, O'Rear, Scamehorn and Harwell In the chemistry, and mathematics makes fermentation luboratq. them invaluable contributors to this

still developing discipline.

3 Five OU CEMS faculty members

have ongoing research in the biotechnology area. Especially in the area of bioseparations, with an emphasis on dilute solutions, what we believe is the most innovative research in the world is being done today at OU. Four CEMS faculty have traveled to London and dis- cussed a collaborative research agreement with BIOSEP, a national research organization recently established by the British government to spur development of biotechnology in Great Britain. BIOSEP has recognized that a coming bottleneck in the commercialization of many biotechnology processes will be the absence of suitable large scale separations processes designed for the types of problems encountered in biologically based systems.

Opportunities exist for gaduate research in several exciting new bioseparations projects in CEMS. Jay Radovich's research group has been developing a new technique combining electrophoresis and

Carl Camp, left, and Emu Ogoro, biotechnology research students of Professor Sam Sofer, prepare to observe the rate of oxygen uptake in an enzyme bioreacfor.

membrane separations to more efficiently separate whole blood into cellular and plasma components. This technique has great promise as the basis for a process to separate proteins from cell debris on an industrial scale or to remove the cells from the fermentation broth and has begun to attract considerable industrial attention.

Scarnehorn is developing a new process he calls micellar enhanced ultrafiltration under a DOE research grant. Organic molecules of a wide molecular weight range will "dissolve" in surfactant micelles in a dilute aqueous solution. These swol- len micelles then have a greater di- ameter than the target molecules, which allows them to be retained by ultrafiltration membranes of higher molecular weight, thus reducing process costs. Since the target molecules are simultaneously concentrated, what was a waste stream can become a product stream. Be- sides applying this new process in bioseparations, Scamehorn is investigating waste water clean-up and total internal recycle applications under the DOE grant.

Harwell has NSF support for development of a new process which also uses surfactants in a separation process, admicellar enhanced chromatography (AEC). In AEC, target molecules dissolve in adsorbed surfactant bilayers. When the bilayers become saturated in a process unit, slight changes in the process stream parameters cause de- sorption of the bilayer and release of target molecules into the process stream at up to one hundred-fold increase in concentration.

Ed O'Rear and Hawell are col- laborating on an important mod- ification of this process in which op- tically active surfactants are used to separate enantiomers or to simply enhance the specificity of any chromatographic process.

Sam Sofer has constructed a special multistage centrifuge device which may have many potential applications in leukemia and other blood-related diseases.

For those students interested in the exciting area of biomedical engi-

neering, O'Rear also has ongoing research in the area of blood rheolo- gy, espeically the effects of non- physiological shear stress on blood cells (as those encountered in ex- tracorporeal circulation). As well, he has just received National Institute of Health funding for a study of fluorocarbon blood substitutes and their effects on the life span and de- formability of red blood cells.

CEMS faculty members are also active in the area of bior4actor engineering. Sofer has been developing techniques and design procedures for using immobilized whole cells and imrnoblized enzymes as biocatalysts to produce, for example, ethanol and potentially, phar- maceuticals from agricultural products or byproducts. In addition, these biocatalysts may be applied in the design of an artificial liver.

Radovich is continuing a long- term project, originated by CEMS graduate student Stan Yunker, to examine the feasibility of using electric current to enhance the rate of desulfurization of coal and other minerals by sulfur reducing bacte- ria. This would minimize, the en- vironmental effects of wide-scale use of high-sulfur coal, one of our nations most abundant energy resources.

In addition, he is looking ak the mass transfer limitations occurring in fermentations that use immobilized whole cell systems, an area in which he has recently published two review articles.

Reaction Engineering Besides the biochemical reaction

processes just described, CEMS is researching in other areas of reaction engineering.

Among the most exciting are two projects directed by Rick Mallinson. As polymers become more and more the chief manufacturing material of the future, the need for obtaining more highly controlled reaction products grows. Among the most promising ideas is the use of emulsions. Emulsions are highly ordered on a molecular scale and

~ w t e student Jtrn biguere answers a question erning his biorheology research during a uate seminar.

are able to produce polymers with unique properties. A great deal of research needs to be done on such reaction systems to enable chemical engineers to make maximum use of the technique in the future. Scale- up of laboratory results is a particularly difficult problem.

Another of Mallinson's projects involves advancing our knowledge of coal pyrolysis reactions. Coal is potentially the most important national resource of the next 50 years, but many of our attempts to use it as a source of liquids are made more difficult by our lack of knowledge of the actual molecular structure of coal and the pathways by which coal reactions proceed. Mallinson is employing the most sophisticated, modern, spectroscop- ic and chromatographic techniques, and his work is making this resource more usable.

Graduate students Chan Hong Lee, left, and I-Der Lee prepare to study the emulsion polymPrization of vinyl acetate in a computer-monitored continuously stirred tank reactor.

Materials Science and Engineering

CEMS is fortunate to have a considerable effort in the area of materials research, with work ranging from corrosion and failure analysis to advanced polymeric materials and ultra thin films.

Bob Shambaugh, who recently re- turned to academia from Du Pont,

P is developing equipment to prepare melt-blown thermotropic liquid

i crystal polymers. These polymers, which can have strengths up to 15 times that of steel, can be formed into lightweight, three-dimensional composite structures which have applications in the aerospace, auto- motive, and electronics industries.

Another of Shambaugh's projects has a "high profile; NASA is supporting an interdisciplinary effort to develop a new space suit glove for the use of America's shut-

tle astronauts. Advanced polymeric materials may play an important role in improving the flexibility- and safety of suits designed to resist the vacuum, thermal, and radiation hazards of outer space.

Carl Locke, whose book, Anodic Protection: Theory and Practice in the Prevention of Corrosion, was recently released, has several corrosion research related projects in progress. One project, supported by the Federal Highway Administration, is directed towards a study of the corrosion properties of a proposed new deicing material. This material, calcium-magnesium acetate (CMA), is being evaluated as a replacement for the corrosive sodium chloride used in quantities up to 12 x lo6 tons per year. The corrosion of steel, aluminum and reinforcing steel in CMA are being studied in immersion, spray, dip, and electrochemical tests.

Other work is under way to develop further understanding of the corrosion of reinforcing steel em- bedded in portland cement concrete by chloride ions. Presently, a pore press is being utilized to squeeze pore solution from the cement. The pore solution is analyzed and the corrosion behavior of steel corre- lated with the analysis of the solution.

Another project is under way to develov electrochemical tests to study ;he corrosion of steel in high density brine solutions used for comvletion fluids in the oil field. ~ h e i e tests are to be conducted at temperatures up to 350' F and at elevated pressures. The intent is to develop procedures that could be used to test candidate inhibitors for these highly corrosive systems.

Harwell and O'Rear have ex- tended their work in the use of thin surfactant films in separations by in-

As part of their m r k to &lop a new process for spinning t h o t r o p i c liquid crystal polymers, gradu- afe s tdent K. Narasimhan, IqY, and Professor Bob Skambaugk prepare a small ex* for an ex- prknetztal run.

The team m k i n g on failure analysis projects for the Air Force includes, fmn left, Aneesh Sadarangani, 3 M.S. candidate; Professor Ray Daniels; Michelle Simmons, M.S. candidafe; Philip Perkins, Ph.D. can- - didate; and Samar Mukkrjee, Ph. D. candidate.

I ?i vestigaiing the use of these films to photoresists in microchip man-

position monomers in an ultra thin ufacturing, use as corrosion barri- film on solid surfaces before ers, and use as solid lubricants and polymerization. Among the applica- drag reducing films. This work will tions they are investigating for these be featured in the April 1385 issue films are use as a new generation of of High Tech Materials Alert, a news-

I I high two-dimensional homogeneity letter designed to facilitate transfer

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of developing new technologies from academia to industry.

Ray Daniels has for a number of years directed studies for the De- partment of Defense on the causes of failure of various components on military aircraft. Most of these studies have been concerned with acces- sory equipment, including starter systems an< life-support equipment. A project of current interest which has received special funding is the f w e of cartridge starter breech chambers. These are chambers used to contain the solid pro- pellent charges fired to effect quick starts of jet engines of SAC aircraft. One cause of breech chamber fail- ures is corrosion. Daniels' students are studying the stress corrosion cracking susceptibility of the breech chamber steel in combustion product residues.

Bob Block's studies of the effects of surface conditions have directed inquiry into both the behavior of the coqthg and the base metal. The latter problem has been complicated by peculiarities in the defamation characteristics of the near surface layers of the metal independent of whether a coating has been applied. Using observations of the dis- locations densities and arrange- ments as a measure of the extent to which plastic deformation has pro- ceeded, Block has studied the separate roles of the surface and un- derlying bulk material in coated and uncoated metals.

Engineering Management

Rex Ellington has over 30 years of industrial management experience, including responsibility for engi-' neering for the Cathedral Bluffs oil shale project as vice president of Occidental Oil Shale. He is In- vestigating new methods of project planning, design, and analysis to improve the viability of projects such as those for synfuels. Except for national emergency, the day of the super project may have gone. A metamorphosing pIant, with exten- sive use of modularized construc- tion, may improve economics.

Graduate students David Baugh, standing, and Michelle Simmons break in a Sun workstation, part-of the new computer system purchased with a gift from Gulf Oil Corporation.

New Computer System Purchased with Gulf Money

I The CEMS Gulf Computer System

js now coming on line! Our system was purchased with funds gener- ously donated by the Gulf Oil Foun- dation in the amount of $150,000.

The system is made up of three Model 120 Sun workstations. These machines each have two megabytes of main memory with hardware floating point boards. A terminal

r multiplexing board allows each ma- i i

chine to be connected to up to 18 i terminals. Currently we have 20

alphanumeric terminals on two machines available to the students and 14 faculty terminals on the third.

We own part of a fourth machine, which serves our 380 megabyte disc I system.

All of our machines are connected to one another and to the Engineer- ing Computer Network (ECN) via Ethernet, which allows fast simple

communications between machines and systems. Our system is part of a larger system in the college-wide network, which is made up of nine Sun workstations. The other machines, in the industrial, aerospace/mechanical, and electricall computer science departments, will be primarily used for graphics design type processes such as CADI CAM, and CAE.

The CEMS system also has a 300- line-per-minute printer, capable of normal alphanumeric output as well as text and graphics. We are also planning to connect two Tektronics graphics terminals to the system to enhance our on-line graphics capability.

With nine like machines making up the system, the standardization should substantially reduce our maintenance and support costs,

while allowing us to expand the system in small, low-priced in- crements as the need and opportunity arise. The system uses the UNIX operating system, which is rapidly becoming the "super-micro" computer system standard.

Future plans include a letter- quality printer (possibly laser), a plotter, and integrating office func- tions into a system which may then also be connected to the Sun network. We are planning to get the process design programs, such as SIMSCI's PROCESS, (which have been used by the seniors the last two years) on the system before next year. The Sun is certainly ris- ing in CEMS.

Thanks again, Gulf, for allowing us to provide this urgently needed, substantial expansion of computer access to our students.

A $500,000 challenge grant to fund a gaseous fuels research and teaching laboratory has been awarded to the University of Okla- homa by the Perry Foundation of Odessa, Texas.

OU will match the grant on a one-for-one basis with other private funds to provide $1 million for con- struction of the Perry Laboratory for Gaseous h e l s Research.

The challenge grant is the gdt of the family of Charles R. Perry, president of Perry Gas Companies and a 1951 OU chemical engineering graduate, and his wife Nancy Jo. Other participants in the contribu- tion are Mrs. Charles B. Perry, Odessa; Kenneth W. Perry (OU B.S. 1954) and Mary Dean Perry, Dallas;

I James R. Perry (B.S. 1958) and Har- viann Perry, Fort Worth; Beth Perry Sewell, Houston; Charles Thomas Perry (B.S. 1984), a MBA candidate at OU; Nancy Mr. Perry, an OU junior; Martha Perry Mitchell, Austin; Katherine Perry Foster, Jeffery Perry and Joel Perry, all of Dallas.

Charles Perry explained that the gift from the Perry family is "in grateful appreciation to a university and an industry that have done so much for our entire family for three generations.

"Based on our experience within the natural gas industry, we believe

Nancy lo and Charles Perry, seated, pose wrtk son lorn aria pmer UU rresraent 4111 a a n - 9 aFeT that with such a shcture in place, pledging a $500,000 challenge grant for development of a gaseous fuels research center within CEMS. the university can successfully

obtain numerous research projects under contract from both vrivate industries and trade associahons,"

Perrys Announce said Perry, whose companies trace their existence to 1967 when he purchased Portable Treaters, Inc. with a $2,500 down payment. $5 0 0,0 0 0 'We believe that this laboratory will be successful both now and in the future because we know of no

Challenge Grant other facility that is dedicated ex- clusively to research and teaching in gas conditioning and processing," Perry said, "This laboratory can be a valuable support facility for OU's Energy Center and can further assist the university in becoming the energy technology center for the country."

"The university has a long tradition of outstanding research in

gaseous fuels," said Martin Jischke, Fuels Research, to be located on gaseous fuels. Matching funds will citing in particular research con- OLJ's south campus, will be admin- be sought from the gas industry ducted in flame dynamics and the istered by the OU School of Chemi- and professional organizations thermodynamics of fuels. cal Engineeiing and Materials Sci- representing that industry.

Natural gas is playing a growing ence. "This gift is a magnificent act of role as a fuel worldwide, Jischke CEMS director Carl Locke ex- generosity by Charles Perry and his noted. "This laboratory will en- plained that the laboratory will be faimily," Jischke said. "They have hance OU'S ability to further re- dedicated to research and teaching been devoted supporters of the uni- search this and other gaseous fuels, with the primary emphasis on re- versity, particularly the School of which include both fossil and syn- search and development in various Chemical Engineering and Materials thetic fuels." processes for the conditioning, Science, and this gift is a remarka-

The Perry Laboratory for Gaseous treating and enhancement of ble continuation of that devotion."

Perry's Handbook and Chemical Engineering at the University of Oklahoma

Every chemical engineer sooner or later uses the infamous Perry's Handbook. The official title of the useful compendium is The Chemical Engineering Handbook. Many of you may not know that this book has strong ties to the OU School of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science. The sixth edition of P q ' s was recently published, and we thought everyone would like to know how it is related to CEMS.

The first edition of Perry's was published in 1934 by John H. Perry, who, with the assistance of others, completed it by working nights and weekends. Editions two and three were also edited by him. After his death, his son, Robert Perry, took up the standard and edited, with help, the fourth and fifth editions, published in 1963 and 1973, respec- tively. Since there seemed to be the need for a new edition every 10 years, Bob had begun the process of developing a sixth edition. Un- fortunately, he was killed in an automoblie accident in London in 1978.

Now for the University of Okla- homa tie-in.

Bob Perry was a member of the chemical engineering faculty at OU from 1965 to 1975. One of his graduate students, a recipient of the Ph.D. degree in chemical engineering from OU, was Don Green, now

Conger-Gobel Distinguished Pro- fessor of chemical and petroleum engineering at the University of Kansas (Lawrence), where he heads the Tertiary Oil Recovery Project and has served as departmental chairman. As one of Bob's students, Don assisted in the editing of the fourth edition (Don modestly claims to have been a "gopher"). After Bob's death, Don was asked to take up completion of the sixth edition.

After some negotiation with McGraw Hill and the Perry Estate, Don was appointed the editor and recently completed this arduous task.

We are proud that the University of Oklahoma has been able to make these important contributions to chemical engineering literature. Next time you have to refer to Perry's, think about the OU CEMS tie-in.

CEMS Seeks Old Perry's Handbook Copies

Because of Don Green's and OU's important contributions to Perry's, Don at Kansas and the School of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at OU are both trying to complete their collections of all six editions of the handbook. Don needs a copy of the second edition; CEMS needs copies of the first and fourth editions. If any of you have copies of one or more of these editions which you would be willing to sell or donate, please contact Carl Locke at OU CEMS.

We would appreciate your assistance because this famous series holds for all of us great sentimental value.

Former OU President Bill Banowsky, center, and Martin Jischke, right, converse with Alex Massad, who presented OU's Energy Center with a $500,000 gift for a new thermodynamics research laboratory.

Energy Center Gets $500,000 Mobil Pledge A $500,000 gift to the University

of Oklahoma Energy Center from the Mobil Oil Foundation has in- itiated the development of a thermodynamics laboratory, which, according to Martin C. Jischke, will be one of the "most vital components of the Energy Center."

Jischke contends that the laboratory "will provide the tools needed by students and faculty to continue to unravel the mysteries of hydro- carbon thermodynamics."

Former OU President William S. Banowsky, who announced the gift in September 1984, termed the gift "of paramount importance in help- ing to form a sound nucleus from which an international distinguished center of energy research and education can grow."

Alex Massad, a 1944 OU mechanical engineering graduate and execu- tive vice president of Mobil Oil Corporation, delivered the first $100,000 installment of the five-year pled e to OU officials.

"dobil, as an industry leader and employer of some 200 OU graduates, is proud to lend its support to this ambitious project," he said. "As an alumnus of this university, I am personally gratified Mobil can

play a role in the creation of this vital center for students hoping to ex- cel in their chosen fields."

Massad also was the first chairman of the OU College of Engineer- ing Board of Visitors, an organization founded in 1981 which is com- posed of corporate volunteers who offer advice to the college concern- ing industry developments.

"The oil industry is in constant need of well-trained and knowl- edgeable engineers, chemists, geologists and geophysicists," Mas- sad explained. "In the past, the University of Oklahoma has helped fill that need through its related fields of study and surely will continue its role in the future.

The thermodynamics laboratory will enhance the university's ability to continue to provide a high level of education in petroleum-related disciplines," he added. "Undergrad- uate and graduate students will benefit greatly from this facility, for research and teaching, and they, in turn, will benefit the industry."

Jischke said the laboratory will provide modern, state-of-the-art fa- cilities for research and teaching to serve all disciplines in the Energy Center with primary applications in

petroleum and chemical engineering. Renowned as a center for the study of petroleum hydrocarbons, OU has research and education programs in the thermodynamics of hy- drocarbon fluids in the School of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, the School of Petroleum and Geological Engineering and the department of chemistry.

Jischke predicted that the work of the new laboratory "will build on a strong research program in thermodynamics and a long tradition of strength in petroleum engineering, particularly in the production area, where the thermodynamics of reservoir fluids plays a critical role in enhanced oil recovery."

Citing Mobil's ongoing scholarship support in OU petroleum- engi- neering and a recent grant to reno- vate and expand the engineering branch library, Jischke addressed Mobil's latest show of support.

"It is particularly grahfymg when a corporation such as Mobil sees fit to make such a substantial invest- ment in education at the University of Oklahoma. Mobil is an ex- ceedingly generous corporation," he said. "We are grateful for all they have done and are doing for OU."

Notes from the Director February 25,1985

The faculty, staff and students of CEMS continue to experience change at the University of Oklaho- ma. Enrollments in the undergraduate program continue to drop. We have started up our new computer system; the University is looking for a new president; and the students are still having difficulty in finding jobs at graduation.

This spring, the undergraduate enrollment in CEMS is 201 compared to 302 last spring. We think this drop is primarily due to the greatly reduced job opportunities for chemical engineering graduates. The employers have not yet felt this drop since the number of seniors is only slightly lower than that of last year. The junior class, however, is down from 53 to 37. The freshman class is down from 52 to 28. There- fore, as was stated in the last issue of the OKChE magazine, the number of B.S. graduates will drop dra- matically in the spring of 1985 and will remain at a low level for at least three years after that. We will prob- ably step up our efforts at recruiting high school students during this next year in an attempt to stabilize our enrollments.

There is an article in this issue of OKChE about the new computer system recently "started-up" in the department. This long-awaited system is already making an impact on the students. The senior design students began to use the system in writing their design reports very soon after it was made available. We will now be able to include more computer oriented homework and other assignments because of the ready availability of the computation power. The entire College of Engineering is looking at the question of what type of personally owned computation power each in- coming student should have. At this time we do not think it is feasible for us to require that each student purchase a $2,00&$3,000 PC because of the cost. In CEMS, we are leaning toward a requirement that each student have a hand-held

computer that can be programmed in BASIC. A device including printer and cassette drive can be purchased for $250 or less. This computer has a RAM of at least 4K and can be used for all courses up through the junior year. We will have more to say about this in later issues of the OKChE magazine.

The students graduating this May with a B.S. in chemical engineering are having some difficulty in finding employment. The number of job in- terviews was up slightly in fall '84 compared to the number in fall '83. However, there does not seem to be much of a change in the number of jobs being offered to the graduates. In a survey of students, the AIChE student chapter found that as of De- cember half of the class had job in- terview trips and the other half had no opportunities at that time. We think the drop in enrollment plus the subsequent drop in the number of graduates next year will result in a closer balance in jobs and availability of graduates for them. In fact, we may see another shortage of graduates in the next year or two.

The university is undergoing a dramatic change in leadership at the highest administrative levels. Presi- dent Banowsky announced his resignation in the middle of Decem- ber and Martin Jischke, dean of engineering was named interim president. In addition to those changes, we began searching for a new pro- vost last fall. We expect to have a new president named during early summer. After that decision is made, we can expect a new pro- vost. Hopefully, these positions will be filled by the time we publish another issue of the OKChE magazine.

Please keep in touch with us as we would like to increase the number of Alumni Notes in each magazine issue. Your former classmates would like to know what you are doing now, and I know you would like to know all about them. Come to see us any time you are in Nor- man.

Carl E. Locke

What Do Chemical Engineers Do?

for the High Schooler Conslderlng a Career in the

Chemical Engineers Solve Society's Problems

By combining the science of chemistry with the field of engineering, a chemical engineer seeks to solve some of society's most press- ing problems and discover more efficient ways of doing things.

What makes this discipline unique, according to Carl Locke, director of the School of Chemical En- gineering and Materials Science at the University of Oklahoma, is the application of chemical reactions and physics to create processes that change the chemical or physical properties of material.

The best chemical engineering students are those who enjoy math and science, particularly chemistry, Locke said. Chemical engineers work in a wide variety of fields- combining chemicals to produce more durable plastics, refine petroleum more efficiently, improve the environment, make safer cosmetics, create more effective paints and dyes, or develop better heart, lung and kidney machines. These are only a few of the many areas open to chemical engineers.

Chemical engineers also have become involved in the development of computer chips, an area that ne- cessitated a merging of computer science and electrical engineering, Lock said. Engineers turn chemical- ly produced chips into devices that

By Kate Babchuk

can be used in computers, he said. Many students major in chemical

engineering to prepare for medical school. Special elective patterns allow OU students to complete a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering and prepare for medical school without requiring much additional coursework, Locke said.

Engineering students are more prepared to study than people in other fields, he added. "Chemical engineering demands a lot from students. Grade point averages are usually high, and students are extremely motivated."

Besides pursuing medical degrees or advanced training in engineering, graduates in chemical engineering also are entering law or business programs, Locke said. One OU chemical engineering graduate is now employed with International Business Machines, Corp., he noted.

"He had volunteered to help OU's business school set up its new computer system," Locke said. "When IBM found out about it, they hired him as a regular staff member."

According to Locke, starting salar- ies for chemical engineers usually range from $24,000 to $30,000 a year. People with graduate degrees

will earn a few thousand dollars more, he said.

Besides completing as much math and science as possible, Locke said high school students preparing for a major in chemical engineering should be able to write well and communicate their knowledge effec- tively. OU's program requires students to take a three-hour technical writing course before graduating.

Scholarships are available to students through OU's Program of Ex- cellence, a scholarship service offered to students who have com- piled superior records and are interested in a chemical engineering major. Applicants must have a B- plus grade average in high school or previous college work, show leadership abilities, and be highly recom- mended by teachers. The program provides scholarships to students who remain academically qualified for up to four years.

For more information on OU's chemical engineering program, students should write to the OU School of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, 202 W. Boyd, Norman, OK, 73019, telephone 4051 325-5811. Applications for OU's Pro- gram of Excellence can be obtained from high school principals or coun- selors, or by writing to the chemical engineering school.

OK ChE 1985 Spring

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Transcript of OK ChE 1985 Spring